Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
by Firefly Conlon
Summary: My name is Ella, I tell stories. When I meet a boy named Peter in Kensington Gardens, my favorite fairytale comes to life. With some interesting twists and turns. Can I escape Hook's evil clutches, and save Peter while I'm at it? Help!
1. The Boy in Kensington Gardens

My name is Ella Marie Chase, I live across from Kensington Gardens in London, England. I walked towards a crowd, hoping to lose my two younger brothers, and my faithful watchdog, Nana. I was heading towards the new rose arbor, when I heard whistling coming from a tree. I gave a start as I looked up and saw the tanned face of a boy about my age sitting on a branch. A backpack and skateboard were propped against the trunk; he smiled at me and jumped to the ground with astounding grace and agility. I thought I recognized him, but waved away the thought. "Hello," the boy was cheery.

"Um, hello," I replied, wary of the stranger.

"Don't be scared of me," he said, anticipating my response, "I know you. Well, my friend does. Ella right?" he asked.

"Yeah. Who's the friend?"

"Emily Carrisford," he said offhand.

"Oh, well then, yes, my name is Ella Chase. And you are?" Emily was my best friend, she wouldn't arrange for me to have a stalker. She probably just mentioned me in passing, and he remembered. Emily was to self-centered to care about me sometimes, which could be good.

"Peter," he wasn't paying much attention. "You going to the new rose arbor too?"

"Yeah, want to join me? I heard they have some new strains, imported from India!" I loved roses.

"Ahh, yes, the red ones with no thorns, they sometimes have black streaks on the petals too. Amazing," he seemed genuinely interested. Smooth.

We walked into an old fashioned arbor; inside, rose bush, after rose bush sprang up all around. It was like heaven and the smell; _oh. _I nearly fainted, I ran to the nearest bush to inspect the blooms. Peter tapped my shoulder and I turned to face him. He held a red rose in his hand. I blushed. "Thanks," I said.

"No problem madam," he acted as if he was a grown gentleman.

Right then, Nana bounded in followed by my brothers; John, 11 and Michael, 6. Michael saw Peter and ran up to him.

"Who are you? Are you my sister's friend? My name is Micheal, and I'm six!" the little boy's boundless energy made Peter laugh a little.

"Hello Michael, I am Peter, and this must be-" Peter turned to my other brother.

"John," my brother turned to me briskly. "In the corner Ella, _alone,_" John was a worrywart sometimes.

"_What_ John," I was impatient to get home for tea.

"Who is this strange boy?" he was quizzical.

"He's in Ms. Elizabeth's poetry class too," I lied. John wasn't paying attention anymore, a strange bug fluttered past and he chased after it. Completely distracted. I returned to find Michael entranced by Peter's fairy-story. Even I wanted to listen. He had a storyteller's voice, it interested me.

"When he thought all was lost, the boy jumped off the side of the pirate ship into the waves… he swam for the shore. He heard the crack of thunder, and looked around; a cannonball was coming straight for him!" Michael gasped in surprise and anxiety, which made me laugh.

"El, you can't laugh at the boy, he's in trouble!" Michael was indignant.

"Well, why doesn't Peter join us for some tea this afternoon?" I suggested. _Please come!_ I thought.

"I would love to join you for tea Ms. Ella," Peter bowed dramatically.

"It would be an honor, Mr. Peter!" I curtsied in return, giggling girlishly.

We set off for the exit, stopping briefly at the tree where I met Peter to grab his skateboard and duffel. On the way home, John inspected the bug he had managed to catch, and Nana sniffed at Peter. Michael was busy telling Peter all about _my_ storytelling, and acting; and Peter was sounding genuinely interested. Especially my Peter Pan stories, which were Michael's favorites. Peter probably only cared because he shared a name with the character. I knew boys, all of them were conceited.

When we arrived home, I put some water on to boil; and headed upstairs to the nursery. Peter followed, silent, I observed him, really looking for the first time. He was about two inches taller than me, with red hair that fell over his eyes. He was tan, unusual for London's weather, and of muscular build. His eyes were blue, and he was wearing loose cargo shorts with a green hooded sweatshirt.

When the water was done, and we were finished with tea; we went to play in the nursery. Peter was the most unusual teenage boy I have ever met, I thought I was the only one in London with an imagination. I was wrong, he was sword fighting Michael, whilst still talking science with John. It was amazing to see him around my family, so at ease. Something inside of me fluttered, my heart and stomach did flips. _What is going on? Am I crushing on a complete stranger I met a couple hours ago?_ My mind was reeling with the slightest possibility.

"Ella, can Peter stay for supper?" Michael was pleading, pulling me out of my silent revelry.

"Ask mother and father when they get home," I said, glancing at the clock.

We played for another hour. All of a sudden a _click_ was heard, followed by the sounds of two people taking off their shoes and coats. Mother and Father were home.


	2. A Misfortunate Encounter

**Please R&R! Thank you elizabethbennet3553 for all the wonderful help! Enjoy!**

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Friendship formed fast for Peter and I. We met at 11:00 am every day to stroll through the gardens, or downtown. He claimed he was about 15, and I was 14 and a half. My mother trusted us enough to go out on our own in our little section of the city. It was an occurrence that happened so often, whenever one of us wasn't at the meeting point within 10 minutes of 11:00, we would make inquiries to the people strolling about. It was one of these times that I knew something had gone terribly awry. Peter was almost always five minutes late to meet, it was his trademark. But, after the necessary 10 minutes, I asked an elderly lady who was feeding the birds on a bench nearby.

"Have you seen a boy with reddish brown hair? About two inches taller than me?" I asked.

**"Why yes, I have," she seemed surprised at my asking her. "He was talking to a man in a red coat; he walked out around that corner hedge there, and never returned. Neither did the man for that matter. Didn't think anything of it, why are you asking?"**

"Well, he's my friend, we meet here every day. He's usually a little late, but it's almost 11:30 now. I suppose I should look again. Thank you M'am," I said.

_Odd, _I thought. I jogged over to the indicated corner and began to investigate. There was nothing there, save some footprints, which I studied intently. There were four pairs, meaning two other men were there besides the Red Coat and Peter. The smallest footprints, probably Peter's ended in a couple feet of drag marks, and then ended abruptly. The drag marks looked as if he had stuck the heels of his dirty black Converse into the soil; and been pulled along by the arms. The other three sets of footprints led to the corner, and then ended where the pavement began. This couldn't be good. Peter had been taken against his will, he had been _kidnapped_.

The word sent a shockwave through me, rooting me to the spot for several seconds. I stood there, staring at the cold ground. That's how I felt _cold_. Like the sun didn't exist, it was just giving me light, not warmth. I went back to talk to the old lady.

"What did that man look like?" I asked.

"Well, he was tall, probably in his forties, he had long curly black hair, and wore a red coat. He kept his hands in his pockets the entire time. He walked up to the little boy, muttered something to him, and they walked off; deep in conversation. Didn't seem strange to me, why?" she gave me all the information I needed.

"No reason, like I said, he's my friend. I think it was his Dad. Thanks!" I hurried off before she tried to stick her beaked nose in my personal business, like all old women love to do.

I went back to the scene of the crime, as I called it, and started to look around. I finally saw something half sticking out of the hedge. It was Peter's skateboard! I grabbed it, looking close I saw two words etched into the wood. Two words that chilled me to my core: James Barrie.

James Barrie wrote the story _Peter Pan_. Peter, he was kidnapped by a man in a red coat with black curls, HOOK! No way, I'm a normal girl, with normal parents, and normal grades. Now, all of a sudden, characters from fairy-stories are coming to life right in front of me. And _kidnapping_ each other?! "Where are the hidden cameras?" I asked the empty air.

"Cameras? I don't see any cameras, Miss Ella. All I see are tourists and a hedge," the mysterious voice came from behind me. I turned on a my heel to face the owner, Hook. How did I know? I began to speak, wary of the posed danger.

"Listen buddy, I'm no Wendy. I am not demure, feminine, nor obedient. So, have fun with your whole revenge scheme, I'm going home," I wasn't really going home; I was going to find Peter. But he didn't know that.

"No, you are coming with me, young lady," he snapped his fingers. Two burly men came out of the group of tourists. (How did they hear him snap his fingers in a crowd of babbling, squabbling tourists? It must be a pirate thing) I backed up, only to run into two _more _men. One of them grabbed my arms, and pulled me into an unoccupied cab. Hook sat near me, two men stayed in the park, and one began to drive. _What had I gotten myself into? _

**Ha ha, I left you with a cliffie. No worries, I'll update soon! Please R&R!**


	3. A Double Agent

**Hey, I'm back...I have no social life, so I spent my Saturday morning writing...sorry the chapters are so short! I DO NOT own Peter Pan (which sucks) but, please R&R!**

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So, what now?" I asked the dark figure beside me, a little miffed. He seemed to be in a good mood. "Don't you think my parents will have noticed I'm missing by now?"

"It won't matter, once a child has left for the Neverland, time stops on Earth, no one will miss you," he smiled, and patted my shoulder. I crossed my arms, and angrily turned towards the dirty window.

"Is Peter okay?" I asked, still facing away.

"I truly do not know, the last time I saw him was yesterday, when you were walking in the park together, he was trying to impress you. I could tell by the look on his face," Hook smirked, and looked at me through the corner of his eye. _Really? How sweet!_ I thought to myself, then jerked away from the very idea. _I'm still in a hostage situation!_

"Wait, so where is Peter then? What am I here for? If you don't have him then-" I started.

"Ahhhh, catching on now are we? Yes, I am using you as Peter bait. I had to find someone that meant the something to him. How he even ended up on Earth still amazes me. Well, I followed him and got you! Boys his age are so typical," he was laughing, clearly pleased with himself.

"Oh, If it's that simple then I guess I kinda want to get kidnapped. Peter does usually beat you in the end, I hate to say it…but it's true," I turned back to face Hook. Hook looked angry, then it faded into amusement. Clearly I was missing a vital detail…

"He has usually beaten me, but I guess things change. I mean, look at what's happened to you! You go from an average girl, to a character in your favorite book! Only because you made a new friend, let alone a famous friend," he put his arm around my shoulder. I attempted to shrug it off, and then decided it would be better not to aggravate my captor. "Little Ella, it won't be very hard to play your part in my scheme. You sit below, in a comfortable cabin, and wait to be rescued. If you behave, I will escort you for walks on deck. If I manage to capture Peter, which I WILL! Excuse me, then you may leave, or stay on the island as you please. No harm, no foul, right?" He asked me, sincerity ringing in every word.

"Well, as long as I don't get hurt, and Peter doesn't end up dying…I suppose I might not struggle very much, I will simply act scared. Let Peter think he's winning, then take over right?" I was quickly switching sides. I had to remind myself I was being a double agent for Peter. Acting: I was doing that right now, pretending to get in on Hook's plan. Of course in the end I would save the day, or Peter, whichever happened first.

"Ha ha, I thought this would be much harder. Sounds like you are angry at Peter for getting you captured huh?" Hook smirked.

"Yeah. If it weren't for him, I would be safe at home right now! Not getting taken to some strange, fairytale place. Not that I don't enjoy going new places, I just wanted to do it with family," at this Hooked snorted out a little laugh.

I laughed a little too, Hook was getting duped, and he didn't even know it! Let alone duped by the one person he had no chance of keeping on the ship for longer than two days at most. I would escape, I had to! For Peter's safety, as much as my own! The thought of Peter hurt sent a little shiver up my spine, _why was I thinking like this? Am I seriously crushing on a boy I met about a week ago? A boy that got me captured by pirates, the boy I've wanted to meet my entire life! _Wow, I was falling for him. Stupid hormones. I realized the cab had stopped; the rather large, muscular driver pulled me out by the arm. "Hey!" I snapped at him, I wretched my arm out of his hand and stomped up the boarding plank onto the ship. The driver followed me dumbly; shocked…Hook followed him, smiling again. Wow, the movies never depicted him has jovial; of course, I suppose he'd never dealt with girls like me!

I was escorted to a small cabin, next to what I thought was the galley. I looked around; there was a small bed, a desk, and a candle. "Thank you," I said to Hook, "It's really very nice," Hook seemed pleased with himself; yet again.

"No difficulty my Lady. See you later this evening, I will send for you," with that, he bowed and left. Closing the door behind him, and locking it. _Smart man,_ I thought. And went to lay down for a nap.

"I was awoken by a man shaking my shoulder; I opened my bleary eyes and blinked. Where was I? Then reality set back in. I got up and followed the fat, white haired man as he waddled to a larger cabin down the hallway. I opened the door, and went inside. It was large and airy; a table set for two sat in the center of the room. Two padded purple velvet chairs sat across from each other, I was utterly shocked, and Wendy was such a crybaby if this was the treatment she got. Of course, Wendy had been besotted with Peter; I was merely crushing on him. I'm fourteen, I don't need love yet. Hook entered as well, and we sat down.

"Thank you, dinner looks lovely," I said. In truth it did; strange fruits and breads, and some sort of shellfish sat in a sea of butter. This guy knows how to show a girl a good time! Then I rearranged my thoughts to be based on my mission once again; save Peter.

"Thank you Miss Ella," then we ate. When we were finished we got down to more important matters; the boy's capture. "Now, you are going to stay below, but every once and a while, scream for help…like you're scared. Okay," I nodded, wiping some butter off the corner of my mouth with a napkin.

"No problem," I agreed. A voice could be heard overhead.

"Come out Hook, and bring my friend with you, you codfish!" It was Peter. I was ushered back into my cabin to wait and listen. What would happen next? _Be careful Peter, _my heart urged, _no way! I'm not turning into Wendy, or am I? _ With this final thought, I turned to listen raptly at the door.

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**Ha, Ha another cliffie. Thanks Christopher Scott: A Gentleman Thief, for all of your reviews! :) **


	4. A Costly Mistake

**There is nothing better than sitting in front of your computer, drinking grape juice, listening to Smooth Criminal and writing about the amazing Peter Pan. This chapter gives a little more of Peter's exact feelings for Ella. (Remember he's been on Earth long enought to grow a little more, and now he knows certain feelings)**

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I listened, my ear pressed against the rough wood. They argued and argued; but nothing happened. Then came the sounds of clashing steel. Hook yelled something and the ship gave a sudden lurch, I fell the floor with a _thud_. The door rattled and slid from its locks with a smooth _click_ I was out in a heartbeat. I could feel the adrenaline filling my veins. I ran up onto the deck, slinking up behind the fat pirate, hidden by his immense girth. I reached to grab his dagger, when I saw a piece of sharp metal sticking out of a broken barrel, I took that. Seeing the ratline net gave me an idea. I silently stole to the side of the ship and watched them fighting, this would take perfect timing and luck.

Hook was in the perfect position, and I let loose the net. It fell towards the evil captain but he saw it in the nick of time. Sidestepping, he shoved Peter into its path. "NO!" I screamed, rushing forward. I slipped on something and went crashing to the deck. I felt a sharp pain, and the world faded to blackness, the last thing I heard was Peter yell, "Ella!"

PETER'S POV

I should have seen that coming! Hook's a no good dirty cheater! I was fighting fair and square, when all of a sudden Hook sidestepped me, shoving my shoulder; sending me stumbling back. The thing hit me full force, knocking me to the deck breathless. I struggled in vain, the more I twisted, the more entangled I became. He had dropped a net onto me! I could see Ella rushing towards me, and then she fell. She didn't get up, "Ella!" I screamed. I turned my burning eyes on Hook, who had strode over, picked Ella up and was carrying her into a small room just off the deck. I attempted to cut myself free using my small dagger. One of the quicker thinking pirates (surprise, surprise, those exist!) grabbed it out of my hand before I could truly work myself out. He picked me up, still in the net, and flung me into the same room as Ella. I landed hard on the floor, the wind was knocked out of me the second time.

Hook had lay Ella on the small bunk and turned to face me. "Why, stuck in a net are we? Who's the fish now, boy?" he leered.

"Well, in a net or not, _you_ are still a codfish, and a lying, cheating, stupid one at that! I always fight fair! You didn't, and now Ella is hurt! You dog," I was almost shouting. Anger wrenched the words from me.

"It wasn't me that dropped the net boy," he stepped aside, "It was your darling Ella. I presume it was aimed for me, but tragically; she missed." He laughed. Ella stirred slightly and groaned in her sleep. Hook turned towards the bunk. She wiped a bit of hair out of her face with his iron claw.

"Stay away from her! You disgrace to piracy," I was just trying to distract him. It worked.

"You are not the one to make demands, nor insult me. Starkey, Jukes, get in here! NOW," He shouted. Two thick armed men lumbered in, barely missing the top of the door frame with their heads. "Untangle the boy, but tie his hands. We don't want him attempting escape," he nodded to me, and left with the tails of his coat flung out behind him. I was roughly pulled out of the net and my hands were tied behind me. _Not for long_, I thought.

After the men left, Ella sat up. I walked towards her, unable to comfort her because of my bonds. She saw me, and burst into tumultuous tears. "I-it's all my f-fault P-Peter! I m-meant to h-hit H-Hook, I'm s-sorry," she sobbed. I sat down next to her. She turned her face into my shoulder, hugging me tightly.

"Ella, its fine, I've done this plenty of times. I can get out of this like a fish can breathe under water! Don't cry," I crooned into her hair. She sniffled a little, and tried to calm herself. Turning back out of my shoulder, she looked straight at me.

"I am really sorry about this Peter. I was trying to escape, and save you, and my plan failed. Uggh. I'm worse than Wendy! Even she did her bit, I guess," she sounded so sad.

"Ella, Wendy was a girly girl. You are the total opposite, fun, curious, and adventurous. I don't know what I was thinking with Wendy. She was _too_ motherly, you are perfect," _what was I saying? Admitting that I like her? STOP!_ My brain wasn't listening to me, and I just kept saying stuff about how dumb and girly Wendy was. (Don't get me wrong, she was, but I don't want to tell Ella!) Then she did the most surprising thing yet. She gave me a good shove. So hard that I tumbled off the edge of the bunk and onto the floor. "Hey! What was that for?" I asked.

"You are such a player, you probably just a want a 'thimble' dontcha? Arrggh, you boys are so predictable. I thought you were my friend! Uggh," she was really mad at me. I didn't even understand. I had been on Earth for a few weeks, and met Ella… and she thought I was a player! I had picked up enough slang to know what that meant.

"Hey, I just got my butt kicked by a 40 year old in a pirate costume! At least you can move your hands! I am stuck tied up like this, you girls are so strange, ya know that?" I was just about fed up, then I regretted what I said.

"I'm sorry, just come here, silly boy," Ella was suddenly on the offensive. She pulled me over and untied my hands.

"Not a smart idea to do that, Hook was very specific. I am not to escape," I said jokingly, crossing my heart with my pointer finger. Ella giggled, _good. _That's what I was aiming for.

"I was still unconscious, so Hook's instructions don't count. She pulled me down to sit next to her. I wrapped my arm over her shoulder, she snuggled up to me, _a little too close, but okay. I'm not arguing… and… well… she's kinda cute!_ My first instinct was to remove my arm, but I decided against it. The door rattled, and swung open. Smee stood in the doorway, flanked by the two same men as before. _Great timing, sheesh!_ Even my thoughts were sarcastic.

"Come on boy, the C-Captain doesn't h-have all d-day," Smee stuttered. The two big men reached primarily for me, but Ella was up first.

"No way! I just saw him again after two days. I don't think so! Go tell Hook he can wait, I am busy catching up," Ella stood and ranted at the stunned pirates. Never before had a girl shown this much spunk, Wendy had been so demure. I'm pretty sure they were expecting her to stay seated and watch me get tied up and carried off. Not to stand up and yell and them. She is extremely protective of her friends, or maybe she felt the same way I did. _Nah, impossible. She probably has a boyfriend on Earth. Who would like a strange flying fairytale character that gets her kidnapped? _I argued with myself. The pirate voices broke my silent reverie.

"Come one boy, bring your little girly friend. The Cap'n doesn't have much time; we're almost ready to land. Come on," he gave Ella a hard shove out the door. Ella turned and winked at me, _I wonder what she's up to_. The rope was retrieved from the floor and my hands were bound once again. We were ushered into a darkly draped room. Ella-who had arrived before me- was seated in a plush purple velvet chair. She sat directly across from a smiling Hook. He said something to Ella, she laughed. _Her laugh is so pretty, it's like bells!_ _BELLS! Tink! I'll call Tink for help!_ A plan formed in my head as the two at the table talked. I was sat down Indian style near the closed, and now locked, door. Hook stood and walked towards me. He seemed so happy whenever Ella was around, too bad Ella was _mine_.

"We'll be landing back home in a couple minutes boy. You will stay in the bunk, but I've promised Ella a tour of the island. Can you manage without her for a couple of hours?" I knew I didn't really have a choice, but I thought I'd make Ella laugh again.

"I'm not sure, I'll have to think about it. Can you ask again when we land?" I said, trying to be as sweet and innocent as possible. Ella laughed again, and walked over.

Setting her hand on Hook's shoulder she said, "I don't know if he'll manage Captain. He may need a nursemaid for a few more hours. I'll take the tour tomorrow, so your crew can settle the ship into place with their captain on deck," she sweet talked him into the other option. _Smart girl, now all we need is an escape plan._

ELLA'S POV

I talked the Captain into letting us stay together for a while longer. Pleading exhaustion and Peter's bad manners, Hook relented. As we were showed into our room, Hook bowed and kissed the back of my hand. I giggled and blushed; it was just the reaction Hook wanted. He righted himself, and left with a "See you tomorrow my lady." I turned back around to face a scowling Peter.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm a player. Sure, I can try to sweet talk you and get shoved off the edge of the bunk. Hook sweet talks you and he gets a pretty giggle and a blush, you are so confusing," Peter sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Peter, I'm trying to get Hook to trust me, and then he'll start giving me more freedoms. The more freedom, the more chance we have of escaping. You really should've thought of that," I huffed.

"Oh," was all Peter said. I went and sat next to him. Untying his hands for the second time. The first thing he did was put his hand in mine and turn to face me.

"Ella, there are things called boyfriends, what are they?" Peter asked.

"Umm, a boyfriend is someone you have certain feelings for. The boy has the same feelings for the girl, then they hold hands and kiss and stuff like that. Why?" I finished with a question.

"Well, I was wondering…if you didn't already have one…"

"Yes, I would love to e your girlfriend Peter. If only while we know each other." I said. My dream was becoming a reality everything I'd ever wanted was happening. Peter Pan existed, and was _dating_ me. Hook had managed to capture him, which meant we got to plan an escape. It just didn't get any better than this. Slowly I drifted off, warm and content, still holding Peter's hand in my own.

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**Like it? Please read and reveiw! Thanks for the idea Christopher Scott, and elizabethbennet3553! **

**-Tink**


	5. The Neverland

Sunlight streamed through the window. Directly onto the pillow. I stretched my arms out as I sat up, _where was I_? Then reality came back into place. _I am kidnapped, and sitting on a pirate ship in a magical land I thought only existed in books and movies. _I looked around for Peter. He lay on the floor wrapped in his sweatshirt, snoring quietly. I pulled my legs over the side of the bed and went to sit by him. I brushed his hair out of his eyes, and smiled. He was so sweet, even in his sleep. The door opened once again, so that the fat man could hand me a tray and stutter out a "G-g-good mor-r-rning."

"Morning Smee," I was really cheery from a good night's sleep. The little man stumbled out of the corridor. I ate my portion of the breakfast, leaving more than half for Peter. I knew Hook would take the opportunity to take me on my "tour" while Peter was asleep. I was right: within five minutes of Smee leaving, Hook entered. I stood from my post at Peter's side. "Yes?" I asked, flashing my most charming smile.

"Let's be on our way," he nodded towards the door. I blew a kiss at Peter's sleeping form and left with Hook.

"So where are we going?" I asked.

"You'll see," he was ominous. We were lowered into the water in a small dinghy. Hook ordered his men to row for the lagoon at once.

The famous Mermaid Lagoon, I had read so many stories! As we came closer I saw them, the mermaids. Flashing tails of pink and green and blue. So bright they seemed artificial, but all along the sides of them were jeweled patterns. Their hair was held back by gold, silver and pearl ropes. I yearned to join them, but as soon as they saw us approaching, they dived. A moment before the Lagoon had been filled with laughing, singing mermaids…now it stood empty and cold. Almost foreboding, warning me to, "Get away." I looked at the approaching shoreline.

Greenery unlike anything I had ever seen before filled every space available. Flowers the size of my head sat on stalks as thin as silken thread, leaning against fallen trees; or the occasional boulder. This was the magical land I had dreamt of so many times, and now I finally got to enjoy it! I leaned towards the island, like a sunflower towards the sun; breathing in the scent of the place. I turned to face Hook's smiling countenance, "Ready my Lady?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes," I eagerly accepted. The boat pulled up, and I was out in a second, standing before the looming forest edge, Hook walked up beside me and offered his arm. On any other occasion I would have spat at him, but I was too transfixed by the island to care; so I took his arm…and we entered Neverland.

PETER'S POV

I woke up and looked around. No Ella. "Ella," I called out, no answer. I stood, instinctively reaching for my dagger; before remembering it was gone. I stood, dumbfounded. _Where was Ella?_ I banged on the door, and yelled for her. No one even noticed, or they all had strict orders not to. I sat back on the floor, Indian style and looked around. There was a tray of food on the floor near me. Ella had already eaten by the looks of the half biscuit and apple. I pulled it towards me and began to eat. After Ella had fallen asleep, I had placed her back into her bed, and covered her. I in turn, slept wrapped in my sweatshirt on the floor. It was more comfortable than usual. Yet I had the worst dream: I was in Kensington, the day I met Ella. I was walking along, and saw her in the Rose Arbor; yelling her name I ran over to her. She didn't even look up. I poked her on the shoulder, still trying to get her attention. She didn't respond, I yelled her name, pulled on her hair, threw a rock at her. Nothing. When I threw the rock though, it seemed to bounce off of the space around her, not her herself. When I ran back over to tap her shoulder again, she disintegrated. I screamed, and that's when I woke up.

At least I knew she was probably just touring the island with Hook, at least I hoped that's what was happening. I finished breakfast and went to look out of the porthole. The waves were calm, and it was sunny. I itched to be out there, flying through the trees with Ella at my side. _What had I done yesterday? Admitting my feelings? Was I insane? I am not even supposed to have those crazy things parents these days call "hormones." I'm just supposed to be a free-flying kid. A _kid_ for Pete's sake! Not a 'boyfriend'! _Poor Ella was going to be so disappointed. No, she wasn't. I'll just play pretend until she leaves, then I'll be able to go back to being me! Till she leaves, the very thought tugged at me, made me want to sit down and stare at a wall. Neverland is no fun without at least one girl! Maybe, someday, I'll steal an orphaned girl to be a Lost Girl, then I'll never have to have feelings for her, and we can have more fun. That's exactly what I'll do! But I can't do that now…so I'll just take a little nap till Ella returns. _After I plan our escape…hey….what's that piece of metal over there?_

ELLA'S POV

I walked back onto the deck, now used to my land legs. I toppled onto over onto my rear, the crew around me laughed as I stood and dusted myself off. "I'm alright," I said, for anyone who cared. (There were probably very few) Hook chuckled good naturedly.

"That happens to everyone once and while, come. I'm sure Peter is missing you terribly," Hook showed me back to the cabin. It turned out that Peter was fast asleep, he must have woken; eaten; and then returned to bed. What a _boy_! I laughed. It was loud enough to wake Peter up. He turned to face me, smiling.

"Ella, I've done it! We're escaping tonight! I found a piece of old metal sticking out of a floorboard, it fits into the lock well enough to open the door! We are leaving tonight, when the watch changes," he whispered as I walked closer. I hugged him around the neck, "Ella. Stop. Can't. Breath," Peter said, in a choked voice. I let go, he sucked in air like a dying whale.

"Oh Peter, you really are very clever," I gushed.

"I know. But quiet, we don't want anyone telling Hook," he whispered.

"Oh, right, Hook," I said. Then we waited…and waited….and waited. Till we heard the bells, the two defined "clangs" that meant the watch was changing.

"Now, we escape, no?" Peter said in a rather silly French accent. I giggled, then we walked to the door. Peter wiggled the metal into the lock and it turned. YES! Then we snuck silently onto the deck. Glancing over our shoulders, we leapt off the side of the ship, Peter held my hand and we were off. Free. At. Last.


	6. Tootles

**I cannot seem to write a long chapter, no matter how hard I try! You guys might have to read several short chapters, but they'll be good! R&R! -Tink**

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I can't believe it, I'm flying. That magical experience I've thought about since I watched Peter Pan for the first time when I was 5. Now I'm skimming over the gentle waves, brushing my fingers against the water's velvet surface. The stars reflect off of the silvery mirror near the lagoon. It seems as if there is a second sky. Peter pulls me upwards, until we reach a height where hitting the treetops isn't a danger. I see an Indian raiding party below me, and think if Peter's promise of clean clothes.

I let my mind wander as Peter guides me, _what will the Lost Boys be like? What is the Home Underground like? Will the Lost Boys like me? Will Peter like me still? When will I get home?_ With the thought of home, something tugged at the corner of my heart. John, Michael, Mother, Father, Nana. I insisted we named our faithful watchdog after the one in my favorite movie; I also loved my brother's names. My parents had loved Peter Pan as much as I had, and decided to name the boys after Wendy's brothers.

I clicked out of my own little world as we came nearer to the ground. I had been on the Island earlier, in the broad daylight. It had seemed to sparkle and shimmer in its magical quality. It was a lot scarier at night, when it was dark. The howls and hoots coming from all around us sent a shiver up my spine. "Ella? You're a little shaky. Feeling alright?" Peter asked me.

"Yes, I've just never been on the island alone. Obviously," I was scared to admit I was still a little afraid of the dark. (Everyone is scared of something)

"Well yeah, but you've never been on the Island with the amazingly courageous and stunning Peter Pan? Now have you?" he asked me. _There goes Mr. Narcissistic again._ I thought glumly, jumping a bit as an owl hooted again nearby.

"No I have not; can we please find somewhere to spend the night? I am exhausted," I complained. I was; the day's excursion with Hook, plus the escape. Boy was I pooped!

"Of course, here it is!" he smiled gleefully, the moonlight reflecting off of his overly bright smile. Ducking into a shrub, Peter disappeared. There was some rustling and a heavy grunt. "Found it!" he smiled again, this time in triumph as he emerged from the bush. He was holding a rope, one end rested in his palm; the other ascended into the trees. Peter grabbed my hand and gave the rope a good tug, suddenly we were falling. Not flying; falling. I clutched Peter's shoulder with my free hand, as we landed. Peter flew the last couple feet to keep us from hitting the solidly packed soil beneath us. I was clinging to him for dear life, one hand crushing his, the other digging into his shoulder blade. Almost as if I was hugging him. Which I wasn't. He pried my hands away, and laughed at the sight of me. I was smudged with dirt, my hair was matted, and I was staring at him angrily. Suddenly, my little bubble popped.

"YOU! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT! ARE YOU INSANE? YOU COULD HAVE KILLED US!" I was yelling at the top of my lungs. Peter flew over and clamped his hand over my mouth, putting one finger over his lips to signal silence. He listened intently for a few seconds before releasing my mouth.

"Good, you didn't wake them-oomph" he was tackled from behind by a young boy. This little boy was about Michael's age. He smiled as Peter pretended to look shocked, and learn how to breathe again.

"Peter! You're back! You brought another Lady," with this he stood and walked over to me, "Hello Lady, I am Tootles." He extended his hand; I leaned down and shook with him, making him beam happily over at Peter. "I like this Lady, can we keep her?" Peter laughed. Standing up and dusting himself off, he whistled. All of a sudden I was surrounded on all sides by little boys aged about –I'm guessing- 14 years or younger. The oldest next to Peter was a boy named Slightly, then Nibs, the Twins, and Curly. Tootles, I must admit, was my favorite.

"Tootles, do you know where I could find a hairbrush?" I asked him.

"Yes, Lady, Peter has one!" He pulled me over to a small corner of the room. There was a desk with a strange assortment of papers and knick-knacks on it. I located the hairbrush, pulling a few strands of Peter's red-brown hair from it. I laughed.

"Hey, not funny!" Peter said sheepishly. I just laughed again, and commenced brushing my knotted hair. Afterwords, I laid down on a plush bearskin rug and closed my eyes. Tootles snuggled up to me, and I felt completely safe. I fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of lagoons, my friends, and tomorrow.


	7. Meet Marina

I woke up with a start. The small form next to me grunted, oh. I was in Neverland, for the second or third day? It didn't matter much; I was just excited to go see the sights with Peter and the boys. The slim, tall Slightly sauntered up to me, and offered an apple. I thanked him and took a bite, sweet and crisp. Perfect. Like everything else on this island paradise. Peter flew over, _was there something wrong with his legs? No, he was just a show off,_ I thought to myself. He grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me over to a small door. "Check this out!" He opened the door just enough for him to squeeze through. A few moments later, there was a sharp whistle from behind me. I turned to face Peter. I was completely bewildered; I must have let my calm façade slip a little by changing my facial expression to one of complete and utter surprise. Next I know, Peter is laughing like a deranged hyena while holding his sides and rolling on the floor.

"Was I really that funny looking?" I asked.

"Y-y-yes!" Peter managed through his tear-filled laughter.

"Not particularly, do you think so Slightly?" asked Nibs.

"Nu-uh," said Slightly, offhanded. "Do you Tootles?"

"No, do you Tootles?" the Twins said simultaneously.

"No, now get up Peter and show her around," Tootles ended the round and scolded Peter. Everyone looked at the small boy aghast. I ran forward and swooped him up into my arms.

"Tootles, how would _you_ like to give me my tour? _All_ of you! Except Peter, who can stay here and learn some manners," I said sweetly. Peter stood and dusted himself off. He had _so_ bruised my ego, and I wasn't going to let him off easy. Like I said, I'm no Wendy.

"No, I got this Ella," he wiped away the last few tears with his hoody sleeve.

"Obviously you _don't_ got this Peter Pan. You think you're so smart! Mr. King-Of-The-Narcissists! I'm letting the boys take me, I don't take kindly to rude boys who get me kidnapped," I snapped at him. The younger boys stood open-mouthed. Slightly just looked impressed.

"Well, I got kidnapped too by the way. It was even YOUR fault! So don't go starting this with me!" Peter shouted. We were full-on, claws-extended-hackles-raised fighting now, shouting insults and threats. I grabbed Tootles by one hand, and Slightly by the other. Peter saw this and scowled at me, "I'm your boyfriend! You can't do this! It's against the rules!" he pouted.

"You are officially dumped, now…boys…show me the Neverland!" I walked over to the door Peter had magically disappeared from; and left. I used my meager amounts of residual pixie dust (from holding Peter's hand) to fly out of the open tree-tunnel into the clear blue skies of Neverland. Slightly and Tootles weren't far behind me. They were quickly followed by Nibs, then the Twins, all from separate trees.

I'd already seen Neverland with Hook, but I wanted to see it from the viewpoint of my newfound friends. After a thorough sprinkling of dust; Slightly took the lead, dipping low to the treetops at points, and returning with leaves or fruit. These boys knew every nook and cranny of the island, probably just as well as Peter did. Tootles stayed by my side most of the time, only leaving to pick me a flower here and there along the way. "Where are we going?" I asked Slightly.

"Mermaid Lagoon, the mermaids don't really like girls…well they didn't like Wendy," at this; most of the boys laughed at some inside joke.

"Well, there's a first time for everything," I said nonchalantly. I _was _different; I knew that from talking to people at school or in the park. While most girls spent their weekends at the movies or painting their toenails, I spent mine making up stories and pretend sword fighting. I really didn't have many friends. Until I had found my Neverland back home, the Library. It's so full of already made up stories! Characters for me to adapt into my own usage, I couldn't believe how many children's books you could take out at once. My room usually had five or six library books hanging around. I was an addict. Soon enough we were pulling into the crystalline lagoon from my previous visit. This time, the mermaids stayed above the surface of the water to chat and splash the boys.

"Hey Ella, this is Marina. She's the leader of the school. The redhead with the pink tail is Aqua, second in command," Tootles introduced me to a blond mermaid with a blue tail.

"Hi Marina, I'm Ella. I'm Peter's friend, I'm kinda new here," I said, shaking the Marina's hand.

"You look nice, is she very nice Slightly?" Marina asked him. I really looked at Marina for the first time; her tail was a navy blue color. Down the side of it was a swirling silver pattern of scales. Her sandy blond hair was pulled back with a silver rope, _how do you make silver rope?_ She seemed to be about Slightly's age, _oh. _I noticed the way she was smiling at Slightly. It was the same way I looked at Peter when I _liked_ him. I hadn't really liked him for long. Only, what, two days? How long had I been here, I was already losing track.

"Yeah. She's a whole lot better than Wendy, Wendy was such a prissy," Slightly snorted.

"Wendy was very controlling, are you controlling Ella?" Marina asked me sincerely.

"Nah, people should be able to do what they want. The only thing I would control is how close someone gets to danger. I'm not good with my friends in danger, otherwise, I hate controlling people or getting controlled," I answered. Completely truthfully.

"Then," Marina grabbed my hand, pulling her torso out of the water, "We'll be good friends. Any friend of the Lost Boys is a friend of mine!"

"Glad to hear it Marina! Tootles, want to show me the Indian camp, or anywhere I could get clean clothes?" I yelled over to him.

"Yeah, one sec," he yelled back. I realized with a start that they were all wearing clean clothes. _Where did they clean them? Did they have some sort of laundry system? _I didn't know. Tootles trotted over to me.

"Guys, you take her to get clothes, I'm gonna hang out with Marina for a while," Slightly said.

"No problem lover boy," Nibs acted cool when he said that. It sent Tootles, Marina, the Twins and I into gales of laughter. Slightly blushed and looked at Nibs with an expression that read: _You better learn to sleep with your eyes open buddy!_ We lifted off and headed in what I thought was the way to the Indian encampment.

PETER'S POV

No way, Ella did _not_ just dump me: Peter Pan! I am the ultimate guy, I mean I can fly, fight, and be totally cool. I can fit into the modern world like a drop of honey in the jar. I had to see what Ella was up to! I changed into my original garb. My leafy clothing was excellent camouflage. I snuck out after they left and followed them to the Lagoon. I stayed at the edge of the forest and observed. Ella was making friends with Marina, who barely acknowledged anyone but Slightly. Slightly said something, followed by a comment from Nibs. It must have been funny because everyone laughed at them. Suddenly, everyone but Slightly shot into the air on the way to the Indians. Oh, Ella's clothes…I forgot about that promise I made. No wonder she was mad! I zoomed through the foliage on my way to the camp, I would beat them there. It was faster taking the shortcut only _I_ knew. Ella would beg for me back when she saw my present…_why did I want Ella back. I thought I didn't like her. Did I? _ Yes. I did.

ELLA'S POV

I'm so glad Peter and I are over. There wasn't much there to start with. Now I can spend a week or so in Neverland with my friends, and return home without the tethers that Wendy had. Her crazy obsession had caused her to return to _clean up a house_. If I came back, I'd be here to hang out and make a bigger mess. We descended into the camp. A sight I had thought I wouldn't have to see until much later greeted me. Peter's cocky grin, in his hands was a buckskin _dress_. No-way. I was _not_ wearing a dress! I landed right in front of him. "Like it Ella? I got it just for you, from Princess Tiger Lilly herself!" he beamed proudly. I just slapped him.

"Sexist pig," I spat out the words like acid. I turned to face the stunned Native before me, "Got any _real_ clothes? Preferably pants?" I asked meekly.

"Yah. I'll be right back," she said in almost perfectly accented English.

"What was that for? It's the most beautiful dress here!" Peter ranted.

"Yeah, how am I supposed to climb trees and fight pirates in a frickin' dress?" I yelled back. Heads turned our way, but I didn't care. Peter was an over assuming sexist pig. As I clearly stated. Peter just stuttered and Tootles came over to give me a high-five. The woman returned carrying buckskin pants and a loose cotton shirt with a buckskin jacket. I traded her dress and thanked her very much. I ran into the woods and changed in the privacy of the trees. Once in the clean cloths, I realized the buckskin was light and allowed me to move freely. I flew up, and landed gracefully next to Tootles, "Wanna head out?" I asked.

"Yeah, let's go see Tink, and her friends. Tink's been on a trip to her third cousin's house. Bye Peter," Tootles left their leader standing in the dust with a bright red handprint splayed across his shocked face. _Ha. Who is High-and-Mighty now Peter Pan? _ This trip is turning out much more different than I thought it would go.

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**Yay, I'm so excited, this story is almost over. Then I think I am gonna write a crossover. A GOOD Peter Pan crossover. Labyrinth/Peter Pan. Sound good to you guys?**


	8. A Different Point of Veiw

**I'm really sorry this chapter took me so long. I guess my muse for this story took a vacation, but hey, she's back! So here's Chapter 8!**

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SLIGHTLY'S POV

I just don't understand girls very well I guess. I just talk to them; Marina finds my jokes funny and my opinions interesting. I'm not sure if that means she likes me, but I sure like her a lot. She's so funny and cute and smart, the way she's always helping the Lost Boys and the other mermaids. She's the Princess of the merfolk, so as soon as she reached a certain maturity (once all mermaids reach age 15 they stop growing physically) she'll be shipped off to find a Prince. I just can't stand to see her married off to some snobbish Prince Merman. I don't want her to raise a family of little brats; I want her to stay young forever, like me. She's said there is a spell that can turn humans to merfolk, but I don't know if I like her that much. I just want to be around her all the time, sometimes I write her letters when I can't sleep. I find her trinkets from the fairies. I hope she likes me. I'll ask Peter, he had Wendy, so he knows what I'm going through, right? I sure hope so.

MARINA'S POV

I just don't understand boys very well I guess. I just talk to them; Slightly finds my jokes funny and my opinions interesting. I'm not sure if that means he likes me, but I sure like him a lot. He's so funny and cute and smart, the way he leads those boys better than Peter does. The way he helps me get things I can't because I'm cursed to stay in the water for all eternity, or until I die. I hate being the stupid Princess, which means that soon, Papa will send me off to get married to some stupid Prince Merman. I don't want to raise a family of little brats; I want to stay young forever, like Slightly. I told him about the spell that turns humans into merfolk, but he said he wants to live on land a little longer. Maybe he doesn't like me that much. I just want to be around him all the time! I make him little things; I find sunken treasure and old daggers and swords for him. I hope he likes me, I'll ask Mother. She has Papa, so maybe she'll know how I feel, right? I sure hope so.

ELLA'S POV

Boys are very stupid, no matter what you say to them, they are still stuck up idiots. Not all boys, only boys MY age, which presents a problem when it comes to dating. They think they're all cool and smart and funny. I hope that I can find a guy that isn't like that. I'm going home soon; I think I'll just hang out this week, and head home. Since time is stopped I'll just waltz home and no one will know I was gone. It's like, "Mom, I just went to visit a magical land for a week and came home, and you were never the wiser!" That would be really stupid, they'd take me to the hospital, "Umm Doctor, our daughter Ella is having hallucinations about fairy tales." I walked around the Home Underground and picked things up, clothes, plates, cups, eating utensils, wood shavings from Nibs. I nonchalantly put them all away, and swept all of the Pixie Dust into a corner for Tink. Wherever she was…visiting some cousin?

When the boys came tromping back from capturing Slightly from Marina's beach they were soaking wet. Slightly was drenched, tied ankle and wrist, gagged, and being pulled along on the end of a rope by Nibs, who was laughing uncontrollably. "Took us long enough, he saw us coming with rope and dove in! Marina was on our side today, so she pulled him back to shore and helped us tie him up! It's one of our favorite games, sometimes Marina is on our side, sometimes Slightly's," Tootles explained. I just laughed and helped untie Slightly, who was grumbling something through the gag. I untied it, "Marina _had_ to be on their side today! Girls can be so confusing, which side are they on?" he asked me.

"Slightly, I think Marina likes you more than you think she does. She was only playing along with the boys because she wants to make you laugh. She must have thought you were in a mood to be captured today," I explained.

"So she did that because she _likes_ me?" he was incredulous.

"Yes," my answer was simple. "You don't have to be on your crushes side all the time! It's fine to mess around, it doesn't instantly mean she no longer likes you, and I'll help you understand more if you want." I offered. Slightly smiled.

"I'd love that Ella," he said. So I started explaining what flirting was, for a 15 year old, you'd expect him to know this kind of thing. He was an avid student and paid rapt attention as I told him about "Flirtatiousness" and "Liking someone" I tried and failed to explain what "Love" was so I summed it up to be, "You would do almost anything for that person," then he understood. Maybe he and Marina would end up better than Peter and I did. Of course, Slightly isn't a cocky, stupid, sexist boy. So I wouldn't doubt it if they do.

PETER'S POV

I just can't believe it; I tried so hard to impress her. Note to self: Get her a bow and arrows next time!


	9. I'll Be Back, I Promise

**Hey, I have to finish this fast. My muse left for good this time. So here is a short, probably really crappy ending for a really crappy story. I've moved on to a Newsies fad, so I have to set down my Peter Pan pen for a while. Here you go, the finale. **

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There was no way she would ever talk to me again! I can't help but screw things up! I'm a guy for Pete's sake! Girls are so confusing, they say one thing, but do something completely different. I expect Ella to go "Let's take a left," then turn right. She's that kind of confusing, dizzying, person!

"Ella, I-I'm really sorry I assumed all that stuff…and I hope you'll forgive me for saying and doing all that stupid stuff! Will you still be my friend?" I apologized to the tree. I was desperately trying to word my apology right. A feminine voice came from behind me, "Sure, now take me home." Ella said.

"Why so soon?" I asked, turning and acting like I knew she had been there. Internally, I was blushing, going _stupid, stupid, stupid,_ and hitting myself.

"I helped Slightly out with Marina, and I really miss my family," Ella murmured.

"Well, okay…go get your stuff from the Home Underground and we'll head out," I offered, wishing she would change her mind. I was very unfortunate.

"Okay, be right back," she flew into the air gracefully. Almost as talented at me, and in such a short time. I was really going to miss her, the conversation of a few minutes ago finally hitting me. Its air of finality made it hard to register. Ella. Is. Leaving. The girl I was so desperately trying to impress, the girl who had rescued me from Hook (more or less). She was just going to give everyone a hug and say goodbye for good. That's not fair. While I was contemplating, Ella was saying her goodbyes.

ELLA'S POV

"Tootles, I'm going home for a little while. Okay?" the little boys face fell.

"I'm really gonna miss you," he wiped his nose, "We all are Ella." He was tearing up.

"I'm coming to visit again soon; I'll make sure of it. Here take this," I unclasped a souvenir necklace I had gotten in Florida (I had completely forgot I was wearing it!) and handed it to the saddened boy. As soon as he had it in his hand, he smiled up at me.

"Promise?" he asked, hopeful.

"I promise," I said. Then I hugged him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. He blushed and waved as I flew out of the Home Underground.

I flew into the clearing where Peter waited; he bowed and flew up to meet me. "You're really leaving so soon?" he asked.

"Yeah, I miss John and Michael…and my parents. I just need to go back to my world. Thanks for showing me a good time though," I smiled.

"Umm, yeah. No problem," Peter was Mr. Cool again. Soon we were back in London, floating near my window, "Bye Ella." he said.

"You will remember to come and take me back again once and a while right?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Of course," he smiled.

"You better, moron," with that, I leaned out my window and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed a deep scarlet and flew back the way he came; people in the street began moving again. Like I had never left, like Hook and Peter had never existed.

"ELLA!" John screamed at me, "Where'd you get those authentic Native American clothes?" he came to inspect the hem of my vest; like I had never left…


End file.
